Sales of Peruvian agricultural products to South Korea are expected to rise by 43 per cent in 2013 following intensive efforts by Peru to increase and diversify its exports to the Asian market.

Ruy Bo Won of South Korean trade office Kotra, said consumer demand for Peruvian asparagus, mangoes and grapes has grown strongly in the past year.

Speaking at an international conference on markets and trends at last week’s Expoalimentaria trade fair in Lima, he said shipments of table grapes were set to increase by 150 per cent, while asparagus and mango exports were on course to rise by 130 per cent and 86 per cent respectively.

In 2012 Peruvian agricultural exports to South Korea totalled US$31m, making it Peru’s third largest export destination in Asia.

Separately Peruvian fruit exports to China rose by 127.5 per cent between January and August of this year. Shipments to all markets totalled US$702m during the same period, a 15.2 per cent increase year-on-year according to exporter association Adex.